Steam generating system



Jan. 10, 1933. H. R. CROWTHER ET AL 1,894,217

STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet l S R O T N E V m ATTG RN EYS -1. R. CROWTHER ET AL STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Jan. 10, 1933.

Filed Sept. 10, 1931 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 10, 1933- H. R. CROWTHER ET AL 1,894,217

STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10. 1951 e Sheets-Sheet s /.6 BY I ATTORNEYS Jan. 10, 1933- H. R. CROWTHER ET AL I 1,894,217

STEAM GENERATI NG SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Jan. 10, 1933. H. R. CROWTHER ET AL 9 3 7 STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS j /a wy R. (ham/15R Q QBW ATTORNEYS 1933- H. R. CROWTHER ET AL 1,894,217

STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Filed Sept. 10, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 BY 86 3m ATTO RN EYS Patented Jan. 10, 1933 UNITED STATES tsetse GFFICE HARRY R. CROWTHEB AND- SYLVANUES W. HAYVKIN3, F O'UYAHOGA FALLS, OHIO,

ASSIGNORS OF ONE-THIRD T0 MARTIN 3-K.

BEHNGKE, OF AKRQN, OHIO STEAM GENERATING SYSTEM Application filed September 10, 1931.

The present invention relates to the generation of steam and while it has general utility for all purposes, the particular embodiment of the invention which is shown and described herein is intended and adapted for heating purposes. The invention, as will be seen from the detailed description, is adaptable for and may be used in all types of in stallation where rapid and eilicient steam generation is desired.

The objects of the invention are to design an economical and practical system or apparatus for the purposes set forth, to secure quick and effective steam generation, and to provide a highly eficient device. The principal advantages of the invention are the economical and extremely effective utiliza tion of gaseous fuel and the rapidity with which steam can be generated in suficient quantity and at sutlicicnt pressure to be immediately effective.

The invention accomplishes the objects and advantages set forth for the reason that it embodies a new principle of operation. In-

stead of converting a comparatively large volume of water to steam which takes a con siderable period in the operation of all steam enerators which have been used practically 9O heretofore, the steam in the present system is generated almost mstantane'ously wlth the ignition and starting of the device. It also gives more satisfactory and effective results than other generators in use at the present time.

These and other objects and advantages will be readily observable from the description and drawings accompanying the application. It will be understood, however, that the installation depicted here is not intended to be limiting in its effect, the inventors merely describing and illustrating the invention for th beneit of those skilled in the art.

The invention is subject to modification and change without in any manner departing from or sacrificing any of its essentials.

Serial No, 562,102.

In the drawings in which one form or embodiment of the invention is shown:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an installation;

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 59 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a horizontal section through the distributor for the water, the section being talr en on the line d'-l of Figure 5;

rigure 5 1s a vertical section on the line 5-5 of Figure 4:;

Figure 6 is a detail of a control cam;

Figure 7 is a detail section on the line 7-7 50 of Figure 5;

Figure 8 is a detail of the spray nozzle;

Figure 9 is a sectional detail of the control Valve;

Figure 10 is an enlarged view showing the pilot light and control; and

Figure 11 is a detail of the wiring.

The general principle upon which the generator operates is by the injection of water in the form of intermittent jets, properly timed, onto heated surfaces, preferably a series of pipes or generator tubes which are heated by a suitable fuel, preferably gas. The water sprays are controlled by a distributor or the like which injects the water in spurts into the heated tubes or generators in proper timed relation so that the tubes being heated above the boiling point of water, the spurts or jets of water will be transformed instantaneously into steam. The steam is collecteu in a header or manifold and distributed to the radiators or to any point where it is uo be used. The invention contemplates a refined system or apparatus whereby the several steps are carried out in pro er sequence. Provision is made so that the pipes or generator tubes are heated to the proper temperature and maintained at that temperature during the whole period or use so that the steam is effectively generated. The operation of the water suppl in individual, intermittent jets ina plura ity of generator tubes allows the tubes to be heated sufiiciently during the intervals between the jets to convert the water to steam as soon as admitted to the tubes. Precautions are taken so that should the gas or water supplies fail, this will not injuriously affect the operation of the device, and similar precautions are taken so that upon shutting down, the water and gas supplies will be shut off pro erly. The above and other refinements oft e apparatus will be discussed in the following detailed description.

The apparatus is mounted upon a base 1 and comprises a housing or casing 2 supported from the base by a framework 3, the easing being spaced above the base so as to admit air to the gas burners. Extending across the front of the casing is the main gas line or header 4 from which extend the burner tubes 5 arranged in a bank interiorly of the casing and having the plurality of gas jets 6.

Gas is supplied from the line 8 passing through a gas pressure control valve of the usual or standard type indicated at 9 and then through an electrically operated valve 10 controlled through the usual form of motor operated valve in thehousing 11. This valve is of the usual type and need not be described or shown, it being sufficient to say that the valve is electrically controlled so as to be operated by the usual thermostat in conjunction with the heating system. The products of combustion pass out of the cham her to the chimney 14 through a drum 15 on the rear of the housing, a safety by-pass 16 being connected from the valve 9 to the chimney. If desired, a Water-heating coil 18 (Figure 3) for the hot water system may be located in a casing 19 in the chimney. Suitable bafile plates 22 may be located in the casing above the generator tubes to be described and an arched baffle 23 may be mounted in the upper forward portion of the casing.

The burners are designed to be ignited from a pilot light 25 (Figure 10) supported in a casting 26 located at a convenient point in the casing below the burners. A needle valve 27 controls the amount of gas issuing to the pilot. The pilot receives its gas from a pipe 30 passing out of the casing and connecting to the main gas line forwardly of the valve 10, a small cook 32 being located in the line 30. Located adjacent the pilot and in position to be heated thereby is the thermostatic bar or spring 34, the end of which bears against and actuates'the push rod located in the tube 36 mounted in the casing. The opposite end of the rod extends into and operates an electrical switch 38 located in the switch box 39 (Figure 10). \Vhen the pilot is oil", as in the non-operation of the device, or if the pressure should fall to such a the various control motors in the device.

This arrangement insures the complete shutdown of the apparatus when gas is shut off.

Water is supplied at pressure of the usual head found in ordinary water systems and enters the apparatus from the main supply pipe whence it passes to the valve casing 51 in which is located the valve 52 (Figure 9). This valve is pressed to seated position bya spring 53 and is opened by a lever 55 pivoted at 56 and connected at its opposite end to a link 58 and to a lever 59 which is operated by the gas valve 11, so that when the gas valve is opened the water valve is also opened.

It is not the intention, however, to admit water immediately to the generator tubes as the gas should be ignited for a suflicient interval to permit the tubes to attain sufiiciently high temperature to generate steam immediately. There is, therefore, provided mech anism by which there is a sufiicient interval between the opening of the gas valve and the opening of the water supply to the generator tubes. This is accomplished by the device to be described.

From the outlet side of the valve casing extends a pipe 60 which admits water to the interior of a cylinder 62 in which is located the spring depressed plunger 63. As the water is admitted slowly through the pipe 60, the plunger rises and at the upper limit of its movement passes out through the guide tube 65 and strikes the cross bar 66 of the open switch 68 located in the casing 69. This switch closes the gap across the terminals 70 and permits the passage of current to the distributor to be described. When the gas switch is closed, the lever 55 is raised, closing the valve 52 and opening a valve 72 in the valve housing 73 as shown in' Figure 9. A pipe 74 from the base of the cylinder 62 passes to one side of the casing and a drain pipe 75 from the opposite side thereof, the pipe 75 conducting the water which is discharged from the cylinder to a float or bucket trap 78 (Figure In. this way the device will automatically reset itself.

The wires from the casing 69 lead to one side of the motor 80 which operates the water distributor. The motor is connected directly to a vertical shaft 82 having a flexible coupling 83 therein. The lower end of the shaft is received in a step bearing 84 (Figure 5) in the bottom of a jacket or drum 85, closed by cover 86. An elongated bearing 88 extends downwardly from the cover, being provided with a bearing groove 89. The casing is water-tight being provided with a water inlet 90 connected by a pipe 92 to a T 93 Figure 1) in the pipe 60 leading from the valve casing 51 (Figure 9). The object in connecting the pipe 92 on the outlet side of the easing is to prevent any leakage which might occur when the apparatus is shut down.

In the base of the drum are located a plurality of outlets 100, equal in number to the generator tubes 101, and each connected to a single tube by piping 102. At each outlet is located the valve seat 10% receiving the lower end of vertical valve 105, t. e upper end of which is guided in recess 106 in the cover 86, and which is pressed downwardly by the coil spring 107.

The several valves are arranged in a circle in the drum and are provided with openings 108, each of which receives a bar 110 the inner end having ball-shaped hearing 111 resting in the roove 89. The outer end of each operating bar is provided with a shoe 112 movable in the arcuate guiding slot 114 in the casing 85. The several valves are opened in sequence and in proper timed relation by means of a radial arm 115 having an operating knob 116 on its outer end which rid-es under and lifts the several operating bars, thus opening the passages 100 so that a momentary flow of water will pass through the several pipes and into the generator tubes. The rotation of the shaft and the sweep of the arm 115 gives the proper timed operation to the water jets.

Connecting the end of the pipe 102 with the generator tubes 101 is the spray nozzle 120 (Figure 8) the opening of which is regulated by the adjustable pin 121.

It will be noted that the base of each generator tube is corrugated transversely or rippled as at 122 (Figure 3) so as to retain any water which may not be turned to steam upon striking the hot pipes or gen erator tubes. The several tubes discharge into a header or manifold 125 and the steam pressure which is built up in the manifold and'tubes passes out through the pipe 126 to the radiators or wherever the steam is to be used. A safety valve 128 is also connected to the header which discharges to the sewer. Any water of condensation passes from the header through a pipe 129 to the trap 78. A water glass 130 (Figure 1) is connected to the header and a blow-off tap 131 is provided.

It is advisable to make provision so that the arm 115 (Figure 5) will be in some intermediate position when the system is shut down, otherwise water would flow through the casing and into the generator tubes. For this purpose an electrical switch is provided in parallel with the switch 68 (Figure 11) so that the device will not shut down except when all of the passages 100 are close l. A cam 1 10 is mounted on the shaft this cam having a number of high points equal to the number of valves 105. Against this cam bears a spring-pressed pin14e1 (Figure l) which opens and closes a secondary circuit 142 (Figure 11) through switch 143. It will be observed that until the contact at 1%3 is broken, the moving parts of the apparatus will continue to operate.

Referring to Figure 11, it will be seen that the low voltage electrical current is a threewire system having its entry points at from where the wires pass to the usual pressure control device 151. Thence the wires pass to the electrical valve control at 11, one of said wires, however, passing through the pilot switch 38 on its way to the gas valve. The switch 68 is also located in this circuit. The high voltage current comes from the main line 152 and thence to the valve control. One of the lines passes to the motor 80, the cam switch 1 13 being located in a shunt from the motor circuit.

The operation is believed to be clear from what has been said heretofore.

On starting the device, the pilot light is first ignited which automatically closes the switch 38 and thereby closes the low voltage circuit at this point. The closing of the switch 38 starts the gas control valve and the burners are ignited. lVhen the gas valve opens, the water valve 52 is opened and the cylinder 62 slowly fills. Enough of an interval elapses to permit the generator tubes to become hot. When the switch 68 is closed, the distributor motor begins its rotation. The operation of the distributor motor opens the several valves in succession and sprays of water are delivered in timed relation into the different generator tubes and steam is generated in a very brief time from the lighting of the pilot and continues to be generated in the tubes successively.

The device lends its-elf to automatic control from an ordinary thermostatic device for this purpose. VJhen the device is shut down the lever 55 closes the valve 52 and opens the valve 72 so that the water will drain from the cylinder 62, the switch 68 will open and the motor will stop as soon as the cam 1&0 opens the switch 143.

It will be seen that every contingency in the operation of the device has been taken care of and the device is fully automatic. The efi'ici-ency of the device as a steam generator is fully demonstrated. The invention is capable of embodiment in other forms than that shown within the fair scope and preview of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A system for steam generation comprising a plurality of steam generating tubes, a heater for said tubes, a source of water under pressure, and a distributor between the source and the tubes and operating independently of the water pressure adapted to deliver jets of water from the source to the several tubes at spaced intervals.

2. A system for steam generation comprising a plurality of steam generating tubes, a heater for said tubes, a source of Water, and a distributor connected to the several tubes adapted to deliver individual jets of Water from the source to the several tubes in succession and at spaced intervals.

3. A system for steam generation comprising a plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tubes, a water supply divided and leading to the several tubes, a distributor adapted to feed water to individual tubes in timed jets, and a spray nozzle at the entrance to the tubes.

4. A system for steam generation comprisin a plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tu a source of Water under pressure, a distributor in the water supply, means for operating the distributor, a series of pipes leading from the distributor to the tubes each having a valve controlled by the distributor, and spray nozzles at the ends of the pipes and discharging into the tubes.

5. A system for steam generation comprising a plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tubes, a casing, a source of water under pres sure communicating with the casing, a plurality of outlets from the casing, valves for the outlets, pipes leading from the outlets to the tubes, and means to operate the valves in sequence and at predetermined intervals.

6. A system for steam generation comprising a plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tubes, a casing, a source of water under pressure communicating with the casing, a plurality of outlets from the casing, valves for the outlets, pipes leading from the outlets to the tubes, and means to operate the valves in succession.

7. A system for steam generation comprisingea plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tu s, a casing, a source of Water under pressure communicating with the casing, a plurality of outlets from the casing, valves for the outlets, pipes leading from the outlets to the tubes, spray nozzles at the ends of the pipes, and means to operate the valves in sequence and at predetermined intervals.

8. A system for steam generation comprisin a plurality of tubes, a heater beneath the tu es, a casing, a source of Water under pressure communicating with the casing, a plurality of outlets from the casing, valves for the outlets, pipes leading from the outlets to the tubes, spray nozzles at the ends of the pipes, and means to operate the valves in suecession.

9. A system for steam generation compris ing a plurality of steam generating tubes, a heater for said tubes, a source of Water unoer pressure, a distributor operating independently of the pressure adapted to deliver individual jets of water from the source to the several tubes at spaced intervals, and means to collect the steam from the several tubes.

10. In a steam generator, a plurality of generator tubes, a manifold into which said tubes deliver, means for heating the tubes, spray nozzles leading to the tubes, and distributing means for admitting water under pressure to the individual spray nozzles at intervals spaced sufficiently to permit the tubes to reach temperatures for converting the spray to steam.

11. In a steam generator, a plurality of generator tubes, a gas heater for said tubes,

13. In a steam generator, a plurality of generator tubes, a gas heater for said tubes, a valve for controlling the flow of gas to the heater, a valve device for controlling the passage of Water to the tubes, and a control device operative to delay the opening of the valve device after the opening of the gas valve.

14. In a steam generator, a plurality of generator tubes, a gas heater for the tubes, a

gas valve for the heater, a Water valve controlled by the gas valve, a motor-operated distributor for admitting a plurality of jets of Water at spaced intervals into the tubes, and a control for the distributor motor operated upon the passage of a predetermined amount of water through the water valve.

15. In a steam generator, a plurality of generator tubes, a gas heater for the tubes,

a gas valve for the heater, a Water valve controlled by the gas valve, a motor-operated I1 distributor for admitting a plurality of jets of water at spaced intervals into the tubes, a control for the distributor motor operated upon the passage of a predetermined amount of water through the water valve, and means for stopping the distributor at closed position only.

16. In a steam generating apparatus, a casing, a plurality of generator tubes in the easing, a gas heater beneath the tubes, a spray nozzle in each tube, water ducts leading to the nozzles, a water supply common to the ducts, valves for each duct, means for opening the valves in successive intervals, a gas valve, and means to close all of said Valves when the gas valve is closed.

17. In a steam generating apparatus, a casing, a plurality of generator tubes in the easing, a gas heater beneath the tubes, a spray nozzle in each tube, water ducts leading to the nozzles, a Water supply common to the ducts, valves for each duct, means for open ing the valves in successive intervals, a gas valve, means to close all of said Valves When the gas valve is closed, and means for delaying the operation of the Water valves for an interval following the operation of the gas valve.

HARRY R. CROl/VTHER. SYLVANUES WV. HAWKINS. 

